- Dell and Sun offer new servers for virtualization with AMD Quad-Core processors
- Services organizations are helping the virtualization push in the datacenter
- I/O and storage importance in a virtual environment
- AMD quad-core and Parallels Server Beta3
- Virtualization and the desktop: HP with Citrix and Pano Logic
- New virtualization surveys and data hit the streets
- Virtualization helping to push Infiniband technology
- Virtualization capacity appliance and Sun's latest desktop virtualization offering
- Virtualization security and the NSA; and what are hardware vendors up to?
- VMware users unhappy with management? And is Cisco using KVM?
May 16, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Dell and Sun offer new servers for virtualization with AMD Quad-Core processors
Virtualization platform vendors like Citrix, Microsoft, Parallels and VMware are constantly trying to update and increase the capabilities of virtualization, but they aren't alone. Hardware manufacturers are also taking a stab at improving virtualization. Check out the latest from AMD's Quad-Core Opteron processor technology as it makes its way into new Dell and Sun servers. 
LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 16, 2008 04:54 AM
May 10, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Services organizations are helping the virtualization push in the datacenter
If you haven't started down the path of adding virtualization into your datacenter, what's stopping you? There are so many different benefits offered by the technology, like server consolidation, disaster recovery & business continuity, migrations, and more. And if you aren't sure, just ask a services organization like GlassHouse Technologies or SunGard Availability Services. Listen to what these two organizations are up to at the moment. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 10, 2008 02:09 PM
May 01, 2008 | Comments: (0)
I/O and storage importance in a virtual environment
The whole notion of I/O in a virtual environment is becoming less and less of a mystery as more people are starting to realize that virtualization takes a hefty toll on the I/O of a system. Consumers will typically see this as they standardize on larger systems in order to achieve higher densities. At the same time, part of the important component of virtualization and I/O is the storage side itself. DataCore Software operates in this space and recently received a sizeable investment in their technology. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 1, 2008 04:43 AM
April 22, 2008 | Comments: (0)
AMD quad-core and Parallels Server Beta3
AMD is certainly doing their part to help push virtualization technology. The company just recently released to market their quad-core AMD Opteron processors which give machines an added boost in CPU power. And Parallels is pushing forward with their long awaited Parallels Server product which has now reached Beta 3 stage. They've enhanced stability and performance, and also added a few new features. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 22, 2008 04:26 PM
April 17, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization and the desktop: HP with Citrix and Pano Logic
One of the hot topics that everyone loves to talk about is the datacenter and server virtualization, but the fact is, there are way more desktop machines out there than there are servers. And in some cases, those desktops could be small, shiny silver boxes brought to you by Pano Logic. HP is also looking to the desktop, and the company recently announced plans to support Citrix XenDesktop on its Proliant series and on their Compaq Thin Clients. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 17, 2008 06:44 PM
April 08, 2008 | Comments: (0)
New virtualization surveys and data hit the streets
Gartner recently said that virtualization will be the highest-impact trend, changing infrastructure and operations through 2012. But Gartner isn't alone these last two weeks coming out with new data and survey information that covers virtualization. Others have been collecting their own data and sharing it as well. And it looks like everyone agrees, virtualization is growing. Nothing new to us in the virtualization community, but it's always great to see new data like this. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 8, 2008 05:19 PM
April 03, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization helping to push Infiniband technology
For years now, Infiniband technology has been trying to push its way into the datacenter. However, lately, it seems to be getting a name out there as a serious technology to help overcome some of the limitations that come with virtualization. One company making use of the technology is ScaleMP to help with their Versatile SMP architecture solution. Another company making announcements around the technology is Mellanox, a company that recently made available a 40 Gigabit per second Infiniband adapter. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 3, 2008 05:40 AM
March 26, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization capacity appliance and Sun's latest desktop virtualization offering
Virtualization capacity problems, such as planning and performance bottlenecks, are still an issue with many people in the virtualization world. To answer that problem, VKernel has a new virtual appliance coming out and it is currently in Beta. And people have also been exploring virtual desktop technology more and more. And now, Sun Microsystems has recently announced their own play in this market space - Sun's VDI 2.0. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on March 26, 2008 08:31 PM
March 19, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization security and the NSA; and what are hardware vendors up to?
In case you hadn't already seen it, you should check out what InfoWorld found out about virtualization and security while speaking with a member of the NSA. Executive editor Galen Gruman wrote a really interesting article that you need to read called "Virtualization's secret security threats". And then, I’ll jump around a bit as I take a look at what some of today's hardware vendors are doing to mix it up with virtualization. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on March 19, 2008 05:38 PM
March 10, 2008 | Comments: (0)
VMware users unhappy with management? And is Cisco using KVM?
Are VMware users unhappy with their current management tools? Yes, according to a recent survey from Netuitive. The company recently surveyed a number of VMware users, and the responses were extremely interesting. And what's going on with Cisco? They've invested big dollars into VMware, but is it true that they are using KVM virtualization in their routers? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on March 10, 2008 06:00 PM
March 04, 2008 | Comments: (0)
VMworld Europe 2008 keynote recap
VMworld Europe 2008 took place in Cannes, France; and much like VMworld in the states, just before, during and after the event, it seems like virtualization news was coming from every direction. The European version of VMworld was much like the US version in that both CEO Diane Greene and Dr. Mendel Rosenblum both teamed up in order to present the keynote sessions on Day 1 and Day 2 respectively. In addition to the information from partners brought out on stage, the VMware co-founders were able to announce a number of new VMware technologies between them.
VMware has made available both of the keynote sessions via webcast for those of you who couldn't attend the show. You can register and watch them here, http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/static/europe-webcast.html. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on March 4, 2008 04:50 AM
February 25, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Migrating between processor types? And then, oh by the way, what is lguest?
For those of us who have tried to migrate virtual machines between physical hosts with AMD processors and Intel processors, we are well aware of the problems and limitations found in this scenario. But some people are just starting out in this virtual world, and they might be getting bad information from people. Those of us in the know should be educating people rather than trying to further an agenda. Confusion seems to get further out of hand when marketing battles take place between various platforms.
And then on the quieter side of the fence, what about lguest? Have you heard of it? Been exposed to it yet? What do you think about it? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on February 25, 2008 10:47 AM
February 18, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Storage and software in the virtual datacenter
Today, we take a look at storage and software in the virtual datacenter. DataCore Software, the virtualization SAN software company, released their latest software product into the market - Virtual Infrastructure Foundation Plus or VIF+. And Network Appliance, known for their NetApp storage devices, also launched software into the market - SnapManager and Provisioning Manager. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on February 18, 2008 08:22 PM
February 11, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Mobiles and virtualization with VirtualLogix and SIMtone acquires Aspeed
Moving beyond server virtualization, VirtualLogix showcases its virtualization solutions for mobile devices and networks while at the GSMA conference in Spain. And Simtone has announced that the company has acquired Aspeed Software in order to expand availability, scalability and performance of cloud computing. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on February 11, 2008 08:24 PM
February 06, 2008 | Comments: (0)
New entries into the security and lab management virtualization market
As virtualization continues to gain in popularity, third-party companies continue to surface in order to try and fill the gaps found in virtualization. Entire businesses have been created, funded, acquired and continue to operate around different areas of virtualization technology. In this Podcast, we’ll take a look at newcomers to both the security space and to the virtual lab market. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on February 6, 2008 06:51 PM
January 30, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Server virtualization and the business of I/O solutions
When introducing server virtualization into your environment, you may also be introducing an I/O bottleneck at the same time. Xsigo Systems announced the management integration of the Xsigo VP780 I/O Director and VMware VI3. And Gear6 announced a new suite of tools to better understand, improve and manage I/O performance. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on January 30, 2008 04:21 PM
January 21, 2008 | Comments: (0)
VMware growing in many different directions
VMware is facing increased competition from its competitors such as Microsoft, Citrix, Sun and SWsoft/Parallels. And now, people are starting to view virtualization differently as they become more familiar with the technology. No longer are they thinking just in terms of server virtualization, and no longer are they thinking that server consolidation is the be all end all. So how is the virtualization giant handling this? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on January 21, 2008 04:47 PM
January 15, 2008 | Comments: (0)
NetEx introduces HyperIP and IDC offers 10 storage predictions
With virtualization comes a higher tax on the I/O of a system. Storage and networking will have to work overtime to keep up, and storage demands are just going to continue to increase. A company called NetEx has become the first WAN optimization vendor to go virtual with its HyperIP for VMware solution. And server virtualization platforms are partnering with storage and virtual storage vendors in order to keep up with this demand. With a look at storage, analyst firm IDC offers 10 storage predictions for 2008. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on January 15, 2008 04:48 AM
January 09, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Storage and virtualization: Onaro and NetApp, Hifn and QLogic
Storage management vendor Onaro provides a nice addition to NetApp's software line after the two companies agree to the acquisition. And a combination from Hifn and QLogic set out to optimize VMware performance using a Swarm Series of iSCSI storage appliances. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on January 9, 2008 08:12 PM
January 02, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization in 2008: funding and acquisitions continue
Computerworld recently put out a report that venture capitalist firms still consider the virtualization market as a hot spot for future VC funding in 2008. At the same time, Macworld is reporting that virtualization vendors are set for acquisition attempts in 2008. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on January 2, 2008 05:14 PM
December 28, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Catbird Security and 3Leaf Systems Getting Recognition
Catbird was recently named one of 10 companies to watch in 2008 by CRN magazine, which makes good sense. The company's solution marries two hot market segments - virtualization and security. 3Leaf Systems has also been getting a lot of media attention lately and has also received recognition for its virtualization I/O solution. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on December 28, 2007 04:16 AM
December 23, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Cenzic Announces Hailstorm and Attune Enhances Partner Program
Web application security assessment firm Cenzic recently announced that its Cenzic Hailstorm solution has now been integrated with VMware Lab Manager and VMware VirtualCenter. And file virtualization provider Attune Systems announced the company's enhanced partner program that will help its partners benefit from the latest file virtualization technology. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on December 23, 2007 07:46 PM
December 18, 2007 | Comments: (0)
SAP Support on VMware and the Endeavors Free Offering
We recently talked about the support or lack of support being offered by Oracle for their applications in a VMware ESX Server environment - But SAP is now coming forward signing a different tune. Let's hope that this is only the beginning, and that software manufacturers are finally embracing virtualization the way they should be. And in other news, Endeavors is taking a different approach to software and virtualization support. The company is talking about application virtualization and streaming, and they are now trying to make more people aware of the technology by offering a free version of the product.
And after, stay tuned for part III of another special Podcast from the VMware Virtualization Express Podcast Series. Andrea Eubanks, Senior Director of Enterprise and Technical Marketing at VMware, talks about VMware's Infrastructure in the Agile Datacenter – specifically about how VMware offers businesses many advantages in lowering capital and operating expenditures. And then, Patrick Lin, Senior Director of Product Management at VMware continues his discussion about VMware's virtualization solution.
LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on December 18, 2007 06:31 PM
December 10, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization and Storage: Taking a Look at NetApp and ONStor
When you start implementing your server virtualization projects within your organization, one of the things you grow to understand is the importance of your storage solution. NetApp is working its way into the virtualization arena by partnering with Virtual Iron and VMware. Likewise, ONStor is partnering with VMware as well, in hopes of leveraging VMware's training and marketing to get a better handle on virtualization infrastructures.
And after that we have another special sponsored Podcast from the VMware Virtualization Express Podcast series featuring VMware sponsored highlights from InfoWorld's Virtualization Executive Forum. This Podcast looks at thoughts, insights and presentations from various VMware executives that took place at InfoWorld's event. Andrea Eubanks talks about VMware's infrastructure in the agile datacenter, and how it offers businesses advantages in lowering capital and operating expenditures. And Patrick Lin talks more about VMware's virtualization solution.
LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on December 10, 2007 05:00 PM
December 05, 2007 | Comments: (0)
VirtualLogix Teams with TI and nworks Supports VMware 3.5 and 3i
Virtualization continues to grow, and interestingly enough, it's growing outside of the datacenter as well. VirtualLogix recently announced a new agreement with Texas Instruments for virtualization outside of the datacenter on front-end connected devices. And with VMware coming out with their latest virtualization platforms, 3.5 and 3i, nworks stands ready with support for these new platforms and also offers support for HP's Software Operations Manager product.
And after that, stay tuned for a special VMware Virtualization Express Podcast, a Podcast series with VMware sponsored highlights from InfoWorld's Virtualization Executive Forum. You will hear a special presentation from Andrea Eubanks, Senior Director of Enterprise and Technical Marketing from VMware talk about VMware's infrastructure in an agile datacenter. You'll also hear from Patrick Lin, Senior Director of Product Management at VMware, as he talks about other VMware solutions. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on December 5, 2007 06:29 PM
December 02, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Akorri Reaches Out to SMBs and Migo Goes Virtual with Portable Devices
Performance management is a hot market segment right now in the virtualization space. And Akorri is attempting to get their product into more hands by offering new packages and pricing that caters to the small and medium sized business market. And with a new patent in hand, Migo Software is moving forward with their MigoSync product to help transform portable storage devices into mobile virtual PCs. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on December 2, 2007 02:12 PM
November 27, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Entuity to the Network and Quest to the Desktop
Virtualization management and control is important, so companies like Entuity are looking to virtualization to expand their network management suite, EYE 2008, to help with the management and control of the overall network within a virtualized environment. Quest Software is also no stranger to virtualization. With virtualization applications from Vizioncore and Invirtus already in the company's arsenal, they recently added more ammunition with the acquisition of Provision Networks. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on November 27, 2007 08:05 PM
November 22, 2007 | Comments: (0)
3Tera Updates AppLogic and Verari Offers New Blade Server
3Tera, grid computing and utility computing provider, announced that the company is adding 64-bit support to enhance their scalability and control of resources for AppLogic customers. And Verari Systems delivered a new standard for today's data centers, designed with the future in mind. The company announced the addition of their VB1255 blade server. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on November 22, 2007 01:38 PM
November 19, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Oracle OpenWorld - Compellent and Pillar Data Systems
Two stories that came out of Oracle's OpenWorld event center around Compellent and Pillar Data Systems. Compellent Technologies announced their membership into the Green Grid, and showed off their environmental and energy efficient products at the trade show. The other announcement came from Pillar Data Systems as they announced their support for the new Oracle server virtualization platform. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on November 19, 2007 09:22 AM
November 13, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Gear6's CACHEfx Appliance and Xsigo's ConnectEd Program Attacking the I/O Bottleneck
A big problem within today's data centers is the issue of I/O. As processors and memory continue to climb in speed, performance and size, I/O is one of the few areas in the server that hasn't improved much, and thus, is quickly being identified as the bottleneck in today's equipment. Two companies addressing that problem are Gear6 and Xsigo. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on November 13, 2007 07:40 PM
November 09, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtual Management with Hyperic and Virtual Training with Surgient
Hosting firm Mosso uses VMware's ESX Server technology to help it provide the stability and scalability needed to power up and keep their customers running. And to help them manage the process, the company has turned to Hyperic HQ Enterprise. In addition to the hosting business, virtualization can also help with training. And to help manage that process, Surgient has recently integrated their VTMS lab automation product with Saba Centra, giving instructors a helping hand when it comes to lab provisioning. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on November 9, 2007 04:35 PM
November 05, 2007 | Comments: (0)
SWsoft Expands in China and JumpBox Expands to Microsoft
SWsoft is a huge player in the virtualization market and they continue to expand that presence every day. Case in point, the company is continuing to grow its sales by expanding more and more in China. Also expanding their presence is virtual appliance provider JumpBox. The company is taking their popular open-source appliances and bringing them to Microsoft's virtualization platforms.
And after this Podcast, InfoWorld is bringing you another interesting Podcast hosted by Tom Yager. Tom speaks with Bruce Shaw, director of server and workstation marketing for AMD. Bruce gives us the inside scoop on a brand new version of the AMD virtual experience site.
LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on November 5, 2007 07:03 AM
October 29, 2007 | Comments: (0)
DataCore Software and DevonIT at Citrix App Delivery Expo
There was a lot of great virtualization information that came out of the Citrix App Delivery Expo in Las Vegas this month. Lucky for me, I was able to attend the show and see it first hand. DataCore Software, the virtualization SAN provider, showcased its virtual SAN storage solutions that support the Citrix application delivery infrastructure. And DevonIT, a desktop appliance provider, was exhibiting its latest solutions that leverage the Xen virtualization technology from Citrix.
And something new, at the end of this Podcast, please stay tuned for a special Podcast from AMD as they speak with Jeff Walpole from Global Alliance Marketing at Novell. They talk about the AMD Virtualization Experience, Novell's partnership with AMD, and their experience with AVE last year and why Novell decided to participate for the second time. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on October 29, 2007 05:07 PM
October 22, 2007 | Comments: (0)
From Deployment to Chargeback Help - Third Parties Assist VMware
As VMware continues to grow in size and scale within your organization, third party companies continue to identify and fill niche needs that may end up plaguing you at some point. Vkernel claims to have the answer to the chargeback problem, and they did it with a virtual appliance. And if you have problems with deploying your VI3 servers, perhaps Repton has an answer for you. Using their deployment expertise, the company has come out with their V-Ployment solution. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on October 22, 2007 08:28 AM
October 19, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Citrix and Dell with On-Demand Desktop Streaming
Citrix is slowly starting to expand their product line into the virtualization space. First, they announced their acquisition plans for XenSource, next they revealed their channel partner strategy for its go to market plans for the XenSource product, and now they have unveiled the company's streaming product which it had acquired from Ardence. And Dell is making good use of this technology as well, as it announced its On-Demand Desktop Streaming solution that makes use of the new Citrix product. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on October 19, 2007 08:28 PM
October 16, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization Gets Real at Altiris ManageFusion 2007 in Orlando
Last week, I was once again lucky enough to be able to attend a premiere IT trade show - ManageFusion. The folks at Altiris must have a secret formula written down somewhere when it comes to events. From the facilities chosen, the food provided, the way they handle registration and breakout sessions and labs, to the team members in attendance available for questions, the parties, the keynotes and the exhibition booths... all done first rate and first class. The theme at this year's event was "Getting Smart", and I witnessed and spoke with a lot of people doing just that.
Steve Morton, the Group Vice President of Product Marketing & Management for the Altiris segment at Symantec, once again entertained the masses as the host of the event. There is no death by power point during his keynotes, which I have to say is a welcomed treat. So what did I learn? Content is king after all at these types of events, and like everything else at the show, content was done first class. Virtualization was in the air: Application Virtualization, Application Streaming, Intel vPro Security, Hardware Independent Restoration and a great one day break out session from Altiris, Dell, Intel and VMware. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on October 16, 2007 06:27 PM
October 09, 2007 | Comments: (0)
RingCube's Free MojoPac and a New USB Spec
RingCube Technologies is introducing their latest entry into the virtualization space, a product called MojoPac Freedom. And guess what, they said that it is free! Who can argue with free? And then, at Intel's annual developers forum in San Francisco, a new group was announced that unveiled plans for an updated USB spec. What is it? And how does it affect virtualization? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on October 9, 2007 08:44 PM
October 06, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Yankee Group on Virtual Desktops and Microsoft's Plans for SoftGrid
Will virtualization of the corporate desktop finally end the laptop management that many IT folks face? One analyst firm said it just might offer such a solution. And speaking of the desktop, have you been following SoftGrid since Microsoft acquired the technology from Softricity? One Microsoft employee recently posted some new information about the product's future in a Microsoft TechNet forum. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on October 6, 2007 08:36 AM
October 02, 2007 | Comments: (0)
A Quick Look at SWsoft/Parallels and Attune Systems
SWsoft is expected to unleash new products to market within the next month or two. SWsoft and Parallels are moving at an extremely fast rate right now, and are definitely a virtualization company to keep an eye on. And after discussing Operating System and Server Virtualization, we'll take a look at a file virtualization offering from Attune Systems. The company recently announced its new platform, the Maestro File Manager. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on October 2, 2007 04:20 PM
September 29, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtual Machines Make Things Easy. What About Security?
With server virtualization and virtual machine technology being deployed across mainstream IT environments more and more, security is one of those things that often get overlooked. In a physical IT world, security is usually at the top of every administrator's list. But for some reason, security seems to get pushed down the priority list when you move into a virtual world. So who is looking out for virtualization security? During VMworld, two companies that I spoke with, Catbird and Blue Lane Technologies, were both beating the virtual security drum. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on September 29, 2007 09:02 AM
September 25, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Veeam and Vizioncore Enhance VMware's Products
VMware's VI3 product comes with any number of add-on products to enhance the ESX server virtualization platform, but its many of the third-party software companies out there that make the ESX server platform that much better. Case in point, the additional utilities from relatively newcomer Veeam and the various solutions being offered from Vizioncore. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on September 25, 2007 05:35 AM
September 21, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Emulex and QLogic, Virtual HBAs and NPIV Technology
When scaling with server virtualization technology, local storage or DAS becomes somewhat tricky. SAN technology therefore becomes an important key element when working with server virtualization. Emulex and QLogic both have an answer for the storage side of things with their line of virtual host bus adapters. And at VMworld, both companies were showing off their technology. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on September 21, 2007 04:43 AM
September 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)
VMware Announcements Made Around VMworld 2007
VMworld is now over and for those of us who were there and made it back home safely, most of us are still probably trying to recover from a whirlwind of events. There were over 147 exhibitors present at the show, and each of them had something to share, say or announce while at the show. But interestingly, VMware had a loud voice over that week making quite a few announcements of their own. So what did VMware have to say? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on September 17, 2007 04:31 PM
September 11, 2007 | Comments: (0)
IBM and BEA Working to Change Virtualization
IBM has introduced its new virtualization ready System X Server to help the company address growing needs and concerns in the virtualization arena. One interesting aspect, it debuts a new embedded hypervisor capability right out of the box. BEA Systems is also changing virtualization, this time, licensing. In a bold move, BEA Systems has changed their licensing format for BEA WebLogic Server Virtual Edition from per CPU pricing to per instance pricing instead. So how is this new licensing being defined? And how well will it be received? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on September 11, 2007 10:15 PM
September 06, 2007 | Comments: (0)
AMD and Intel Continue to Enhance Virtualization
When AMD and Intel first announced that they were going to add virtualization instruction sets into their respective processors, people stood up and took notice. It not only made virtualization operate more efficiently with less overhead, but it also helped new virtualization platforms enter the scene, as these instruction sets helped bring new virtualization products to market faster by knocking down some of the barriers to entry. So what are AMD and Intel up to next? AMD is offering Extended Migration and Intel has its new Xeon 7300 series and FlexMigration Assist. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on September 6, 2007 04:05 PM
August 30, 2007 | Comments: (0)
A Deeper Look Into the Citrix/XenSource Acquisition
Taking another quick look into the Citrix acquisition of XenSource, InformationWeek interviewed XenSource and Citrix representatives in a Q&A session - asking about how the acquisition affects the Citrix product lineup. Barron's also posted a blog post about the topic with an interesting take from CRT Capital's Ashok Kumar. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on August 30, 2007 05:29 AM
August 27, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Microsoft Expresses Views on Virtualization and Intel Gets Its vPro On
Microsoft's Larry Orecklin makes his opinions known about virtualization, the market and how Microsoft's approach compares to its competitors. And Intel is moving on with its latest generation of its vPro chipsets for business computers. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on August 27, 2007 04:49 PM
August 24, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Server Vendors Driving Green Datacenters
The lack of space to expand a datacenter's footprint is a growing problem today for many organizations. Perhaps an even bigger problem being faced by these organizations is the rising power and cooling costs associated with today's datacenter designs. Server vendors such as Sun Microsystems and Hewlett Packard are making every effort to try and provide datacenters with green options to create a more efficient environment while at the same time giving these companies the opportunity to save money. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on August 24, 2007 05:14 PM
August 21, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Were Virtual Iron's Announcements Loud Enough?
Virtual Iron recently made a few announcements, but because of the timing of those announcements, they might not have been loud enough to overcome all of the chatter around VMware's IPO stock offering or the rumors and then the actual acquisition news discussing Citrix purchasing XenSource. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on August 21, 2007 05:11 PM
August 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)
VMware and Citrix Prove Value in Virtualization
VMware's IPO and stock trading success combined with the acquisition of XenSource by Citrix further validates the virtualization market and everything that we've been doing in the community. If all eyes weren't set on virtualization before this drama unfolded, you can bet your bottom dollar that everyone is standing up and paying attention now. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on August 17, 2007 04:41 AM
August 13, 2007 | Comments: (0)
AppStream Improves Application Streaming and SaaS Market
AppStream, Inc., a leader in on-demand application deployment and management, is challenging the application streaming and SaaS market with the latest edition of their software, AppStream 5.2.2. The product comes in two flavors, an Enterprise edition and a new SaaS edition. Both products are offering a number of new features to the market, many of which have come from listening to their existing customer base. ISVs will also like their new pricing options. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on August 13, 2007 04:59 AM
August 07, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization Security - Blue Pills and Black Hats
For those of us looking to learn or just read up on security issues, a great place to start is the Black Hat Web site or conference to find out great information around the topic of security. Even virtualization security seems to be a hot topic. In 2006, the original Blue Pill proof of concept code was presented at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. Since then, Hypervisor security and the blue pill have been talked about on numerous web sites, conferences and magazine articles. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on August 7, 2007 07:12 PM
July 31, 2007 | Comments: (0)
AMD's Roadmap is Virtualization Friendly
Intel and AMD have gone back and forth fighting the good fight for market share in the CPU market - a fight that the consumer greatly benefits from. AMD has come up with some great designs in the past, and this year expects to be more of the same. With new CPUs coming out with added virtualization support as well as improved system memory support, the virtual data center should be expecting a nice boost in performance. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 31, 2007 08:16 PM
July 27, 2007 | Comments: (0)
The Green Grid - Who, What and Why?
One of the latest pushes being made within the IT community is to make the datacenter a more efficient operation. This is being dubbed as the "Green Datacenter". To accomplish this, organizations are leveraging virtualization to help reach that goal and make their datacenters comply with these green ideals so that they consume less power, require less cooling, and use up less datacenter space. Let's face it, datacenter floorspace is becoming a hot and scarce commodity. So to address this issue, an organization called the Green Grid has formed and its member roster is growing fast. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 27, 2007 05:50 PM
July 24, 2007 | Comments: (0)
HP Acquires Opsware and Neoware - Oh My!
Hewlett Packard isn't content leading the market with its server hardware. Now, they are making a strong play to become a software powerhouse as well. The company announced the acquisition of the data center management software firm - Opsware. And at the same time, the company also announced the acquisition of Neoware, further strengthening their position in the thin client market. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 24, 2007 08:08 PM
July 20, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization Executive Movements This Summer
It looks like the Summer months are offering plenty of executive changes throughout the virtualization industry. In June and July, we've seen plenty of virtualization companies adding, changing, and adapting their executive team to try and reach new heights. From CEO and CFO, to Sales and Engineering, no stone is left unturned. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 20, 2007 04:59 AM
July 16, 2007 | Comments: (0)
How Emulex and IBM are Working with Virtualization and Storage
Virtualization can certainly help lower the number of physical servers in your datacenter or environment, but that doesn't usually mean that the need for storage goes away. In fact, moving to virtualization in my opinion really increases the need for storage, and by that, I mean the need to migrate from using local storage to network attached storage or SAN. Emulex recently announced their new Virtual HBA Technology that just got accepted into the open source Linux kernel. IBM's no stranger to storage either. In fact, the company just recently announced that it is setting record speeds with its SAN volume controller. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 16, 2007 08:38 PM
July 13, 2007 | Comments: (0)
What are IDC and Forrester Saying About Virtualization?
The virtualization market is a fast growing marketspace. And it's extremely interesting to see what the analyst firms think as they report their forecasts on the technology and the market. Case in point, analyst firm IDC recently came out with their report stating that the virtualization services market was going to reach a whopping $11.7 billion by 2011. And it sounds like analyst firm Forrester is claiming that VMware will continue to dominate the x86 market for server virtualization for the next few years. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 13, 2007 03:51 PM
July 09, 2007 | Comments: (0)
SWsoft and Parallels - Combining Forces and Dealing with LGPL
While VMware may be currently ruling the roost, that hasn't stopped SWsoft from making its own mark in a growing space. Back in May, the company announced first quarter revenue growth of 140% and virtualization revenue growth in excess of 600%. And since the company announced its acquisition of the hardware virtualization company Parallels, it seems only fitting that the two combine forces to offer something new to the market. Parallels announced their own new product for the Mac, their 3.0 version of the product, but along with that announcement came questions about Lesser General Public Licenses and DLL files used from the open source WINE project. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 9, 2007 08:13 PM
July 05, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Third Parties Pushing Virtualization - Nimsoft and uXcomm
Virtualization technology is great, but in addition to the really cool features being offered by the virtualization vendors, it's third party applications that sometime really make a virtual environment stand out. Nimsoft is now offering VMware environments a little assistance with service level monitoring. And uXcomm and Virtugo have combined to help increase performance and service level management. Find out what's going on with both companies. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on July 5, 2007 08:20 PM
June 29, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Who Wants to Virtualize the Desktop?
While server virtualization is the talk of the town, more and more people and companies are talking about virtualizing the desktop. We started out virtualizing the desktop with products from VMware and Connectix, and then moved to the server. Now, we can leverage the server to virtualize the desktop to capitalize on security, isolation and availability to name a few reasons. Let's find out about HP and Provision Networks and then talk about Vista virtualization licensing. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on June 29, 2007 05:36 AM
June 26, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization Doesn't Make Backups Go Away
For those of us living and breathing the datacenter life day in and day out, we know the value of our last good backup of data... you know the one, the one right before a major catastrophe strikes and someone in the organization decided it was "OK" to delete payroll data or source code. Backups are usually considered one of those nasty evils that nobody wants to do and nobody in the organization ever appreciates until data is actually lost. Well, unfortunately, moving to a virtualized datacenter doesn't magically make backups go away. So who in the industry provides help in the VMware world? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on June 26, 2007 04:29 PM
June 23, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Application Virtualization Having the Best Month Ever
Server virtualization is usually the hot topic within the virtualization space. People generally love to talk about and argue who does what best. But what about Application Virtualization? This market is definitely heating up, and more players are entering the space every day. This helps give consumers more choice. So as the application virtualization space heats up, who seems to be having the BEST MONTH EVER? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on June 23, 2007 01:59 PM
June 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)
HP, IBM and Sun - Blade Servers Going Strong
Time and again within the virtualization space, people ask about Blade Servers and virtualization. They want to know, are the two technologies competitive? Or do they work well together? In many cases, they both try to solve similar problems, yet the two technologies can and do work well together. And blade technology seems to be on the up tick once again. This month, IBM, HP and Sun have all made announcements within their blade server platform offerings. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on June 17, 2007 08:39 PM
June 11, 2007 | Comments: (0)
InfoWorld's Virtualization Report Goes to Microsoft TechEd 2007
This year, I was lucky enough to attend Microsoft TechEd in Orlando. For those of you who stopped by the exhibitor booth that I was working, it was great to meet you. While the show doesn't concentrate on virtualization, it did cover the gambit. Microsoft's keynote covered Windows Server Virtualization, there were plenty of Microsoft booths and labs setup to talk about virtualization, and the exhibitor booths came out in support of the technology as well. I had a great time visiting these booths and taking back some great information. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on June 11, 2007 06:49 PM
June 07, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Xen Reaches 3.1 and ToutVirtual Goes Pro
Recently, Xen made itself much more appealing as it released its 3.1 version to market. It added support for 64-bit as well as its VMotion type capability called Live Relocation. It also offered its XenAPI to help with management capabilities. Also helping with management is relatively new comer ToutVirtual, who has introduced their VirtualIQ Pro product to market. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on June 7, 2007 01:02 PM
June 03, 2007 | Comments: (0)
With Technology Comes the Need for Security
Within technology, security has always been a major concern. With the introduction of the Internet and virtualization, computer technology choices, options and abilities have expanded, but so too have the potential for security threats. GreenBorder Technologies came up with a solution to help protect end users from threats while using the Internet and just got acquired by Google. And Blue Lane Technologies just announced that they have recently received the Best of Interop award in the security category for its VirtualShield software. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on June 3, 2007 01:51 PM
May 29, 2007 | Comments: (0)
As Virtualization Expands, what about Security?
As virtualization and server consolidation continues to expand within IT organizations, what, if anything, are they doing about security? Is security still a concern? The British Computer Society recently wrote that security is no longer the prime concern of many IT managers. But Reflex Security on the other hand is working out major performance and feature enhancements to its Virtual Security Appliance to help secure the virtual network. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 29, 2007 08:34 PM
May 25, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Red Hat Dives into the Virtual Appliance Market
Virtual appliances are hot right now! And it doesn't matter what you call them. Red Hat's operating system is certainly no stranger to the virtualization appliance market. But recently, the company announced that it was working with Intel to deliver an appliance that would work with desktop PCs and Intel vPro technology. They also announced a partnership with Sybase and announced a database appliance with integrated virtualization. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 25, 2007 05:15 PM
May 21, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Why Not Acquire Them? A Look at Thintropy and Indigo Stone
New software products are coming out all the time, and many of these products are getting scooped up and acquired into other products. Case in point, there are two recent acquisitions that have taken place. First, we'll discuss XDS acquiring Thintropy to help with their vision for the consumer desktop virtualization market. And then, we'll talk about how EMC is far from finished gobbling up technology, as it recently acquired Indigo Stone to help EMC in the bare metal recovery game. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 21, 2007 05:18 PM
May 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)
SWsoft Financials and Parallels One Stop Shop
It looks like parent company SWsoft and its desktop virtualization acquisition, Parallels, are both making announcements. In a recent press release from SWsoft, the company released information about their first quarter 2007 financials. Evidently, VMware isn't the only virtualization vendor achieving good numbers. Parallels made an interesting announcement of their own. It seems as though they are working with Tech Data Corporation to create a one stop shop with Apple hardware, virtualization and Microsoft Windows. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 17, 2007 04:23 PM
May 14, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization Surveys and Reports - We Find Out Everything
Within the IT community, virtualization is a hot topic. And as such, everyone is coming out with a report or survey based on their own independent fact finding missions. IDC recently reported on how server virtualization is growing in the European market. And Avanade recently commissioned a report which found out there is a lack of skills needed for implementing virtualization technology. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 14, 2007 07:45 PM
May 08, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Sun Microsystems and IBM Each Exploring New Technology
Sun Microsystems is exploring new technology that it created from its virtualization endeavors. The project, called Live* (Live Star), could prove to be a new software and security delivery model. And after that, IBM and Transitive Technology team up to allow applications written for Linux/x86 based platforms to run on IBM p Servers, which helps significantly expand IBM's software ecosystem.
LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 8, 2007 03:44 PM
May 02, 2007 | Comments: (0)
NEC Virtual PC Center and Citrix Mobile Virtual Machine Manager
NEC Corporation of America is getting into the whole virtualization, thin client, managed desktop arena. The company recently announced their NEC Virtual PC Center which the company hopes will replace today's personal computers. And it looks like Citrix might be making a new software product to help in the virtualization space as well. Want to manage your VMware ESX environment from your cell phone or mobile device? What support person or admin wouldn't want to? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on May 2, 2007 08:39 PM
April 30, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization - Filling in the Missing Management Pieces
If you're listening to this Podcast, you are probably like me, one of the people in the IT industry that believes virtualization is the future. And to get to that future, one of the things we need is a good way to manage the entire infrastructure... virtual or physical. Let's face it, until things evolve, we're going to work in a heterogeneous environment where we might have a mix of physical and virtual machines or various virtualization platform types in the same environment. And as management systems evolve to take that into consideration, and they start to think about monitoring, provisioning, backup and restore, disaster recovery, and resource management and control, environments will get better, more efficient, and easier to operate. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 30, 2007 03:42 PM
April 24, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization is a hot topic right now, and I don't think anybody questions that. Having been in this business for as long as I have, the news coming out about VMware's financial track record completely amazes me. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand it, and I'm eating it up! Who would have thought that VMware would be on track to break the $1 billion mark? And to help with that goal, it looks like VMware is beefing up their hardware compatibility and certification program. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 24, 2007 08:19 PM
April 21, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Virtualization at Altiris ManageFusion Event
If you haven't been to Altiris ManageFusion before, you just might be missing out. The company once again put on a first class event. It brought together Altiris executives, product managers, developers, services professionals and support staff, all under one roof to interact with the analysts, the media, its partners, customers and their vendors. Attendees were given the opportunity to interact with one another in many different ways. And once again, Altiris' Steve Morton, VP of Product Marketing and Management hosted and stole the show. His wit, humor and musical talent entertained the audience. The show's theme was about getting smart, and that's exactly what I set out to do. I watched, listened and interacted with hands-on training so that I could "get smart" on what Altiris and partners were showcasing. So, what did I find out at this event? LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 21, 2007 10:27 AM
April 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Citrix desktop management and Neoware devices
Many of today's desktop admins are looking for a solution to help them with the management and security of the desktops within their organizations. And Citrix hopes to have an answer for them. And speaking of Citrix, Neoware has recently announced the availability of Citrix ICA 10 for users of Neoware thin client devices. LISTEN!
Posted by David Marshall on April 17, 2007 08:58 PM
April 09, 2007 | Comments: (0)
VMware's TSX Event Filled with Information
While not as big as VMworld, VMware's TSX Event for EMEA is providing quite a bit of information to those lucky enough to be in the audience. Topics are across the map covering Fusion, Lab Manager, VMTN, certifications, appliances and more. I can't wa